49th Fighter Wing
Encyclopedia
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC) Twelfth Air Force.
The 49 WG supports national security objectives with mission-ready F-22A Raptor stealth fighter
Stealth Fighter
Stealth Fighter is an action film released in 1999. The film stars Ice-T, Costas Mandylor, Erika Eleniak, Sarah Dampf, William Sadler, Ernie Hudson, and Andrew Divoff.-Film synopsis:...
s, Air Transportable Medical Clinic and BEAR Base assets; deploys combat-ready and mission-support forces supporting Air Expeditionary Force operations, Global War on Terrorism and peacetime contingencies; the T-38A aircraft; and provides support to over 18,000 personnel to include training pilots in the F-22 Raptor and German Air Force Tornado
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy...
operations. The wing has a proud history of service in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
and NATO-led Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
.
Units
- 49th Operations Group49th Operations GroupThe 49th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 49th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is a part of Air Combat Command ....
(49 OG)
The 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing the Air Force's F-22A Stealth Fighter aircraft and in training U.S. Air Force and allied aircrews in F-22A and T-38 transition, instructor and fighter weapons instructor courses. All aircraft use the tail code of HO.
- 6th Reconnaissance Squadron (6 RS) (MQ-1)
- 7th Fighter Squadron7th Fighter SquadronThe 7th Fighter Squadron is part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.-Mission:The 7th Fighter Squadron as a part of the 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing the F-22A Raptor aircraft.The 7 FS...
(7 FS) (F-22A) - 8th Fighter Squadron8th Fighter SquadronThe 8th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-22A Raptor, having previously operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from 1992 until the squadron's inactivation on May 16, 2008...
(8 FS) (F-22A) - 16th Training Squadron (16 TRS) (MQ-9)
- 29th Attack Squadron29th Attack SquadronThe 29th Attack Squadron is an active United States Air Force training unit flying the MQ-9 Reaper. It is assigned to the 49th Wing, stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. It was activated on 23 October 2009.-History:...
(29 ATKS) (MQ-9) - 49th Operations Support Squadron (49 OSS)
- 49th Maintenance Group (49 MXG)
The 49th Maintenance Group maintains aircraft, propulsion, avionics and accessory systems for the F-22A Raptor. The group also directs all maintenance, qualification, on-the-job and ancillary training for over 1,200 people; manages over $4.3 billion in aircraft and equipment; and supports flying activities, exercises and worldwide taskings as assigned by the war-fighting CINCs and the Secretary of Defense against high-value, heavily defended targets.
- 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (49 AMXS)
- 49th Maintenance Operations Squadron (49 MOS)
- 49th Maintenance Squadron (49 MXS)
- 849th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (849 AMXS)
- 49th Mission Support Group (49 MSG)
The 49th Mission Support Group provides a wide spectrum of support services for wing and tenant organizations—these include military and civilian personnel support, maintenance of facility and utility systems, security police duties, communication capabilities, and family leisure programs for Holloman.
- 49th Civil Engineering Squadron (49 CES)
- 49th Communications Squadron (49 CS)
- 49th Contracting Squadron (49 CONS)
- 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron (49 LRS)
- 49th Security Forces Squadron (49 SFS)
- 49th Force Support Squadron (49 FSS)
- 49th Material Maintenance Group (49 MMG)
The 49th Materiel Maintenance Group is responsible for the storage, inspection, repair, deployment and accountability of bare base assets belonging to Air Combat Command. The group's 431 authorized personnel encompass 42 Air Force specialties and are responsible for bare base assets worth over $234 million.
- 49th Medical Group (49 MDG)
The healthcare professionals of the 49th Medical Group are dedicated to providing the best health care possible to the 49th Fighter Wing and its units. The 49th Medical Group provides outpatient services from 0730 to 1630, Monday through Friday, and is closed on weekends, federal holidays, wing down days and Air Combat Command family days.
- 49th Medical Operations Squadron (49 MDOS)
- 49th Aeromedical-Dental Squadron (49 ADOS)
- 49th Medical Support Squadron (49 MDSS)
History
- For additional history and lineage, see 49th Operations Group49th Operations GroupThe 49th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 49th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is a part of Air Combat Command ....
Established as 49th Fighter Wing on 10 August 1948. Activated on 18 August 1948 in Japan. Equipped with Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars. In February 1950, the unit was redesignated as the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing.
Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in June 1950, the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing was one of the first USAF units dispatched to Korea from Japan, its tactical squadrons began operations with P-51D Mustangs
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
. Initially under its parent wing, the 49th was reassigned to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing during July through September, and finally the 6149th Tactical Support Wing during October and November 1950. Korean War squadrons of the 49th were the 7th, 8th and 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons.
The 49th's first task in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
was to cover the evacuation of civilians from Kimpo and Suwon
Suwon
Suwon is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety"....
. Next, it flew close air support missions to help slow the advancing North Korean armies. Later, it turned to the interdiction of enemy troops, supplies and communications.
Phasing out its F-51s for Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars jets, the 49th FBW moved to Taegu AB (K-9) on 1 October 1950, becoming the first jet fighter outfit to operate from bases in South Korea. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat operations during the first five months of the war.
When the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) Intervention Campaign gained momentum in 1950–1951, the group again concentrated on ground support missions. It converted to Republic F-84G Thunderjets, June–September 1951, one squadron at a time, while the others continued combat operations. The 49th FBG earned another DUC for its contribution to the success of the 1st UN Counteroffensive Campaign (1951). Afterwards, it engaged primarily in air interdiction operations against the main enemy channel of transportation, the roads and railroads between Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
and Sinuiju
Sinuiju
Sinŭiju is a city in North Korea, neighboring with Dandong City, China via international border and is the capital of North P'yŏngan Province...
. Also, it flew close air support missions for the ground forces and attacked high value targets, including the Sui-ho hydroelectric plants in June 1952 and the Kumgang Political School in October 1952.
On 27 July 1953, the 49th FBG joined the 58th FBG to bomb Sunan Airfield for the final action of F-84 fighter-bombers during the Korean War. The unit was one of the most decorated Air Force units in the war, having earned two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit citations and another eight battle honors. Such accomplishments earned the wing a niche in United States Air Force history.
The wing remained in Korea for a time after the armistice. It was reassigned to Misawa AB, Japan on 2 November 1953 and provided air defense for Japan through 1957.
United States Air Forces in Europe
On 15 April 1957 the detached 49 Fighter-Bomber Group became a paper unit, and the wing assumed the fighter-bomber mission the group had been performing, continuing it to 15 September 1957, when the wing prepared to move to EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Worldwide DOD Budget restrictions during FY 1958 affected PACAF as well as USAFE and the 49th FBW based in Japan had to be retired.
The 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing was reassigned to Etain-Rouvres Air Base
Etain-Rouvres Air Base
Étain - Rouvres Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France, 1 mile to the west of Étain; on the west side of the Départemental 906 road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse département about 12 miles east of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where it absorbed the assets of the former host unit, the 388th FBW. As the 388th was originally formed in December 1942, and the 49th was formed in November 1940, the older wing's heritage was preserved by transferring its lineage to Etain.
The stay of the 49th in France was short, as in 1957, the French Government decreed that all nuclear weapons and delivery aircraft had to be removed from French soil by July 1958. As a result, the F-100's of the 49th TFW had to be removed from France.
On 8 July 1958 the name of the wing was changed to the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing as a result of an Air Force wide redesignation. Its squadrons were renamed Tactical Fighter Squadrons. On 25 August 1959, the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing relocated to Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.-Units:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and assumed host unit duties, replacing the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing which was moved to RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Tactical Fighger Squadrons of the 49th TFW at Spangdahlem were the 7th, 8th and 9th.
The 49 TFW flew F-100s until 1961 when it converted to the Republic F-105D/F Thunderchief
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
, commonly known as the "Thud". The 49th TFW was only the third USAF unit to operate the F-105.
The 49th received two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for F-105 operations at Spangdahlem. On 9 March 1967, the Wing began receiving the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
.
The 49 TFW remained at Spangdahlem AB until 1 July 1968 when it relocated to Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, to serve as the US Air Force’s first dual-based, NATO-committed wing.
Holloman Air Force Base
On 1 July 1968, the 49th arrived at Holloman Air Force Base, becoming the first dual-based tactical fighter wing. Under the dual-basing concept, the 49th, stationed at Holloman, deployed individual squadrons periodically to Europe, fulfilling their NATO commitment. At Holloman, the wing continued participation in tactical exercises and firepower demonstrations to maintain combat readiness. It had base host responsibility 1 January 1971 – 1 August 1977 and 15 November 1991 to the present. In the autumn of 1971 the wing's four tactical squadrons deployed in Europe.In 1969, the wing participated in its first dual-basing exercise, Crested Cap I, deploying 2,000 personnel and 72 aircraft to NATO bases in Europe. Also in 1972, the 49th earned the coveted MacKay Trophy for the "most meritorious flight of the year," for the redeployment from Germany to Holloman after Crested Cap II. The MacKay Trophy recognized the 49th for the fastest non-stop deployment of jet aircraft accomplished by a wing's entire fleet.
Operation Constant Guard II
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
invaded South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, the entire wing, except for a rear echelon that remained to run Holloman, deployed at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility. It is located in Central Thailand, approximately 144 miles northwest of Bangkok in Takhli district, Nakhon Sawan Province, near the city of Nakhon Sawan.- Units :...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The wing conducted combat operations in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
from 11 May – 27 September 1972, to help blunt a strong North Vietnamese offensive. The 49th flew combat sorties in South Vietnam, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, and Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
from 1 July – 24 September 1972 during Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker was the title of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 aerial interdiction campaign conducted against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War....
, the bombardment campaign in North Vietnam. During this deployment, Operation Constant Guard, the 49th flew more than 21,000 combat hours over just about every battle zone from An Loc to vital installations in the Hanoi vicinity. During five months of combat, the wing did not lose any aircraft or personnel—a testament to the outstanding training and proficiency of all members of the 49th. The unit officially closed out its Southwest Asia duty 6 October 1972, receiving an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device for its participation.
Post-Vietnam era
The wing returned to Holloman Air Force Base in early October 1972, and continued rotating tactical components to Europe to support NATO through September 1977. It also provided USAF fighter lead-in training from February 1974 – December 1976.In October 1977, the wing ceased its "dual-base" commitment to NATO and changed to an air superiority mission with the wing beginning a conversion from the F-4 to the F-15. The transition was completed 4 June 1978. Training was refocused on dissimilar air combat tactics for multi-theater operations.
History was made during February 1980, when two pilots from the 49th each flew their F-15s, 6200 miles (9,977.9 km) in just over 14 hours, establishing a record for the longest flight of a single-seat fighter aircraft. The flights required six aerial refuelings, proving the global power of the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing.
In July 1980, the wing acquired the commitment of a primary Rapid Deployment Force unit. This tasking, which lasted for a year, required the wing to be ready to deploy its aircraft, crews, and support personnel on short notice. The wing served with the Rapid Deployment Force until July 1981, when the tasking was transferred to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
The 49th won the 1988 William Tell
William Tell (USAF)
William Tell is a biennial aerial gunnery competition with fighter aircraft held by the United States Air Force in every even-numbered year. In the competition, teams representing the various major commands of the USAF compete in live-fire exercises, using towed banner targets for gun engagements,...
air-to-air meet. The wing outdistanced the nearest competitor by more than 2,000 points. The 49th won a variety of awards, including the coveted "Top Gun" for best fighter pilot.
It deployed aircraft and personnel to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
to fly combat air patrol for coalition operations from 20 June – 19 December 1991.
In 1992, the 49th underwent a number of transitions. The last F-15 departed Holloman 5 June 1992, ending 14 years of Eagle operations. On 9 May 1992, four F-117 stealth fighters from Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, arrived at Holloman taking over for the 37th Fighter Wing
37th Training Wing
The 37th Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.The 37th TRW provides basic military, professional and technical skills, and English language training for the Air Force, other military services, government agencies, and...
the 49th served as the only stealth fighter wing in the world. Also, F-4s returned to Holloman, as part of the 9th Fighter Squadron, in May 1992
After conversion to the F-117 in May 1992, It deployed fighters and their crews to Southwest Asia during the 1990s to support United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
weapons inspectors in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, to enforce the no-fly zone
No-fly zone
A no-fly zone is a territory or an area over which aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in a military context, somewhat like a demilitarized zone in the sky, and usually prohibit military aircraft of a belligerent nation from operating in the region.-Iraq,...
over the southern part of that country, and for shows of force.
Post-Cold War
48th Rescue Squadron
The 48th Rescue Squadron is part of the 563d Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. PJs/CROs primarily fly onboard HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft while conducting search and rescue missions.-Mission:...
served at Holloman AFB from 1 May 1993 – 1 February 1999. With its six HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, the personnel of the 48th deployed six times in support of Operations Northern and Southern Watch. Additionally, during its six years of service, the 48th saved 33 lives in real-world rescues in the American Southwest.
Using helicopters, the wing also performed a search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
mission from May 1993 to February 1999. It provided early flight training for Second Lieutenant Jeannie M. Flynn, who eventually became the first female USAF combat pilot. The 49th also trained Taiwan Air Force fighter pilots in AT-38 aircraft from 1993 to 1997, and German Air Force fighter pilots in F-4 aircraft from 1992 to the present.
In early 1999, the wing deployed F-117 and their crews to Aviano Air Base, Italy and Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany from 21 February – 1 July 1999, in support of Operation Allied Force. Flying more than 1,000 total sorties, pilots flew into heavily defended skies, littered with surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire. In particular, F-117A pilots bravely trusting in their aircraft's low observable technology struck some of the most valuable and highly guarded targets in Serbia. The F-117s successfully penetrated the heavily defended areas, which conventional aircraft could not reach.
People, airplanes, and equipment of the 49th Fighter Wing played a key role in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The wing's F-117s played a major role, dropping the first bombs against an Iraqi leadership target in Baghdad on 19 March 2003. In all, F-117 pilots flew more than 80 missions and dropped nearly 100 enhanced guided bomb units against key targets. Approximately 300 people deployed with the air package and provided direct support to the F-117 mission.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Early in 2003, stealth fighters and crews of the wing deployed to Southwest Asia. The 49th dropped the initial bombs of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and continued to support combat operations there until the country was occupied.The 49th continued to demonstrated its versatility, when on 3 September 2005, the wing answered a humanitarian call from the gulf coast area of the United States. Responding to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the wing deployed fifty-nine Airmen from the 49th Materiel Maintenance Group as part of Joint Task Force Katrina. The BEAR Base team sent 120 short tons of cargo and built a tent city and housekeeping facilities for workers providing Hurricane Katrina relief operations.
Today, the 49th Wing continues to serve at the forefront of military operations, with its F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
.
Lineage
- Established as 49th Fighter Wing on 10 August 1948
- Activated on 18 August 1948
- Redesignated: 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 1 February 1950
- Redesignated: 49th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 July 1958
- Redesignated: 49th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991
- Redesignated: 49th Wing on 30 June 2010
Assignments
- 314th Air Division314th Air DivisionThe 314th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September 1986....
, 18 August 1948 - Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 1 March 1950
- Attached to 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 16–31 March 1953
- Japan Air Defense Force, 1 April 1953
- Attached to: Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 1 April – 7 November 1953 - Attached to: 39th Air Division [Defense], 7 November 1953-
- Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 1 September 1954
- Fifth Air Force
- Remained attached to 39th Air Division [Defense] to 1 March 1955
- 39 Air Division (Defense) (later, 39 Air Division), 1 March 1955
- Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 15 April – 10 December 1957 - United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
, 10 December 1957
- Seventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during its years of active service...
, 15 November 1969 - 832d Air Division832d Air DivisionThe 832d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 1 July 1968
- Attached to: Seventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during its years of active service...
, 15 January – 4 April 1969- 835th Air Division835th Air DivisionThe 835th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at McConnell AFB, Kansas...
, 1 February 1970
- 835th Air Division
- Attached to: Seventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air ForceSeventeenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during its years of active service...
, 14 September – 7 October 1970- Twelfth Air Force, 30 June 1971
- Attached to: Thirteenth Air ForceThirteenth Air ForceThe Thirteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stationed in the continental United States...
, 5 May – 2 October 1972- Tactical Training, Holloman, 1 August 1977
- 833d Air Division833d Air DivisionThe 833d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico...
, 1 December 1980 - Twelfth Air Force, 15 November 1991-.
Components
Groups- 49th Fighter (later, 49th Fighter-Bomber; 49th Operations): 18 August 1948 – 10 December 1957 (detached 9 July – 30 November 1950; 16–31 March 1953; 2 November 1953 – 15 April 1957); 15 November 1991 – present
- 543d Tactical Support: attached 1 December 1950 – 26 January 1951
Battalions
- 76th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons: attached 5 – c. 25 January 1951
- 753d Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun: attached c. September – c. November 1950
- 865th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons: attached c. September – c. 30 November 1950
Squadrons
- 4th Fighter-Interceptor4th Fighter SquadronThe 4th Fighter Squadron is part of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-History:...
: attached 10 August 1954 – 15 April 1957 - 7th Fighter-Bomber (later, 7th Tactical Fighter; 7th Fighter)7th Fighter SquadronThe 7th Fighter Squadron is part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.-Mission:The 7th Fighter Squadron as a part of the 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing the F-22A Raptor aircraft.The 7 FS...
: attached 9 July – 17 August 1950 and 7 August 1956 – 15 April 1957; assigned 10 December 1957 – 15 November 1991 (detached 10 September – 6 October 1971; 2 March – 4 April 1973; 2 April – 3 May 1974; 4 October – 6 November 1975; 23 August – 25 September 1976); 16 January 1941 – 10 December 1957; 15 November 1991 – present - 8th Fighter-Bomber (later, 8th Tactical Fighter; 8th Fighter)8th Fighter SquadronThe 8th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-22A Raptor, having previously operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from 1992 until the squadron's inactivation on May 16, 2008...
: attached 15 April – 15 October 1957; assigned 10 December 1957 – 15 November 1991 (detached c. 12 September – c. 11 October 1970; 10 September – 6 October 1971; 3 March – 5 April 1973; 5 September – 6 October 1975; 21 September – 20 October 1976; 22 August – 22 September 1977; 10 September – 15 November 1991); 16 January 1941 – 10 December 1957; 15 November 1991 – present - 9th Fighter-Bomber (later, 9th Tactical Fighter; 9th Fighter)9th Fighter SquadronThe 9th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft conducting air superiority missions...
: attached 17 August – c. 6 September 1950 and 15 April – 9 December 1957, assigned 10 December 1957 – 15 November 1991 (detached c. 12 September – c. 11 October 1970; 9 September – 7 October 1971; 4 February – 15 March 1973; 6 September – 7 October 1975; 22 September – 21 October 1977; 10 September – 10 October 1977; 20 June – 15 November 1991); 16 January 1941 – 10 December 1957; 15 November 1991 – present - 20th Fighter20th Fighter SquadronThe 20th Fighter Squadron was most recently part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-4 Phantom II aircraft conducting air superiority missions...
: 1 July 1993 – 20 December 2004. - 39th Fighter-Interceptor39th Flying Training SquadronThe 39th Flying Training Squadron is currently part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.-Mission:...
: attached 14–20 July 1954 - 45th Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 27 December 1950 – 24 February 1951
- 48th Rescue: 1 May 1993 – 1 February 1999
- 334th Fighter-Interceptor334th Fighter SquadronThe 334th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
: attached 24 February – 1 March 1951 - 336th Fighter-Interceptor (later, 336th Fighter-Bomber; 336th Fighter-Day)336th Fighter SquadronThe 336th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
: attached 18 November 1954 – 6 August 1956 - 339th Fighter-Interceptor339th Flight Test SquadronThe 339th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force unit based at Robins AFB, Georgia. It is part of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, with a mission to certify aircraft as worthy to return to service...
: attached 20 July – 18 November 1954 - 356th Tactical Fighter356th Tactical Fighter SquadronThe 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 354th Fighter Wing, being stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina...
: attached 12 October – 9 November 1959 - 415th Fighter: 8 July 1992 – 1 July 1993
- 416th Fighter416th Fighter SquadronThe 416th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico...
: 8 July 1992 – 1 July 1993 - 417th Tactical Fighter: 15 November 1970 – 30 April 1977 (detached 9 September – 2 October 1971; 3 February – 14 March 1973; 5 March – 5 April 1974; 3 October – 5 November 1975; 24 August – 26 September 1976); 15 November 1991 – 8 July 1992
- 421st Air Refueling: 15 February 1954 – 1 October 1957 (detached)
- 434th Tactical Fighter434th Fighter Training SquadronThe 434th Fighter Training Squadron is part of the 47th Flying Training Wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. It operates T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.-World War II:...
: attached 12 August – 6 October 1972 - 435th Fighter435th Fighter Training SquadronThe 435th Fighter Training Squadron is part of the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operates AT-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.-Mission:...
: 12 May 1993 – 1 April 1997. - 465th Tactical Fighter Training465th Air Refueling SquadronThe 465th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 507th Air Refueling Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions.-Mission:...
: 1 August 1973 – 1 January 1977 - 4449th Tactical Fighter: 12 July – 10 October 1972
Batteries
- Battery A, 76th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion: attached 1–25 January 1951
- Battery A, 933d AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion: attached 18 December 1950 – 5 January 1951
Flights
- Unnumbered (of 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron41st Flying Training SquadronThe 41st Flying Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-6 Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.-Mission:...
): attached 6 September – 30 November 1950 - Unnumbered (of 339th Fighter-All Weather Squadron339th Flight Test SquadronThe 339th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force unit based at Robins AFB, Georgia. It is part of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, with a mission to certify aircraft as worthy to return to service...
): attached c. October – c. 30 November 1950 - 6113th Air Weather: assigned 18 August 1948 – 26 January 1949, attached 27 January – 10 April 1949.
Stations
- Misawa AAB (later, AB), JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, l18 August 1948 - Taegu AB (K-2)Daegu AirportDaegu International Airport is primarily a domestic airport in the city of Daegu, South Korea. Asiana Airlines and Korean Air provide international flights to China and occasional charters to Fukuoka and Manila...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 1 December 1950 - Tsuki AB, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 26 January 1951 - Taegu AB (K-2)Daegu AirportDaegu International Airport is primarily a domestic airport in the city of Daegu, South Korea. Asiana Airlines and Korean Air provide international flights to China and occasional charters to Fukuoka and Manila...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 24 February 1951 - Kunsan AB (K-8)Kunsan Air BaseKunsan Air Base , is a United States Air Force base located on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is at the town of Gunsan about 150 miles south of Seoul. The town can be romanized as both Gunsan and Kunsan...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 1 April 1953 - Misawa AB, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 7 November 1953 – 10 December 1957
- Étain-Rouvres Air BaseEtain-Rouvres Air BaseÉtain - Rouvres Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France, 1 mile to the west of Étain; on the west side of the Départemental 906 road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse département about 12 miles east of...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 10 December 1957
- Operated from Chalons-Vatry ABNATO Dispersed Operating BasesNATO Dispersed Operating Bases were developed to improve air power survival when NATO began planning for tactical air bases and aircraft in western Europe during the early Cold War years of the 1950s.- History :...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1 September – 30 November 1958- Spangdahlem AB, West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, 25 August 1959 – 30 June 1968 - Holloman AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 1 July 1968 – present
- Spangdahlem AB, West Germany
- Deployed at Takhli RTAFB, ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, 4 May – 3 October 1972
Aircraft operated
- P-61 Black WidowP-61 Black WidowThe Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II...
(1948–1949) - P-80 Shooting StarP-80 Shooting StarThe Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...
(1948–1951) - F-82 Twin MustangF-82 Twin MustangThe North American F-82 Twin Mustang was the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter in World War II; however, the war ended well before the first...
(1950) - F-84 ThunderjetF-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
(1951–1953, 1957) - F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
(1951, 1954–1957) - F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
(1957–1962) - F-105 ThunderchiefF-105 ThunderchiefThe Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
(1961–1967)
- F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
(1967–1978) - F-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
(1977–1992) - F-117 NighthawkF-117 NighthawkThe Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a single-seat, twin-engine stealth ground-attack aircraft formerly operated by the United States Air Force . The F-117A's first flight was in 1981, and it achieved initial operating capability status in October 1983...
(1992–2008) - T-38 TalonT-38 TalonThe Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
(1973–1976, 1993–present) - HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave HawkThe Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
(1993–1999) - F-22 RaptorF-22 RaptorThe Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
(2008–present) - MQ-9 (2009–present)